Chapter 20

[Spoilers: Strip Strangler]

Standing at the top of the steps, Sara could see Grissom and the others talking, and despite the distance Grissom was easy to recognise, as he was the only one constantly looking around for her.

-Ah, he's so sweet- Sara mused, almost beaming with happiness. "Well, better go before he freaks out." she muttered to herself.

Reaching the side of his sun-lounger, she bent down and kissed his cheek. "Did you miss me?" she smiled.

"Of course." he answered, squeezing her hand. "You need some help with that?" he asked, motioning towards the sun lotion in her hand.

"Any excuse to touch her." Sean laughed, causing Grissom to look down so that they wouldn't see the blush rising in his face.

-Am I that transparent?- He worried.

Noticing his discomfort, Sara leaned into him and whispered. "He's just messing around."

Grissom smiled when he realised he was embarrassed for no reason and rubbed the lotion onto her shoulders. Sara had to try very hard not to show her pleasure as it would be seen as inappropriate pool side behaviour.

"I know you can't bare to be away from Gil," Allison started. "but do you want to go for a swim?"

"Oh, I think I can tear myself away." Sara joked, heading towards the pool.

Sean rose from his seat, took off his colourful Hawaiian shirt and joined his wife. "You coming Gil?"

"In a minute." he called back. -Someone needs to look out for Jenkins- Suddenly out the corner of his eye, there he was. Grissom became transfixed, watching every gesture and eye movement. Gil Grissom the honeymooner was gone and the investigator within had resurfaced.

-What the …!- Grissom thought as his glasses became blurred. Taking them off he saw they were covered in water droplets. Following the trail on the ground as though they were blood spatter, he found the culprit.

"Sara? What did you do that for?" he whined, sounding like a child who couldn't get his own way.

"Well, I called you three times, but you were so absorbed by him you didn't notice." she explained, trying to hide the worry in her voice. -At least I hope that's why. Please don't be his hearing!-

"Sorry." he shrugged, coming to sit at the pool edge, under the pretence of dipping his feet in. In reality it was to keep the conversation private. "I can't help it."

"I know honey, but just relax okay. Brass said he had surveillance covered for a while so we could take a break, right? So, take a break. Don't make me splash you again!" she giggled.

"You wouldn't dare?" Grissom laughed.

"Oh yeah." she teased, scooping water into his face.

"Okay, now its war!" he growled playfully as he jumped in. Grabbing her waist as he surfaced, he splashed her back.

Sara raised her arms to protect her and felt his strong hands grip them and gently push her against the edge of the pool where he slowly trailed his hands down her arms to her face, leaving her arms to wrap around his neck. He brushed the hair from her eyes and let his hands linger on her face.

No matter how they tried to convince themselves otherwise, they knew as they looked into each others eyes and their lips touched that this was no longer acting. As Sara pulled him closer, a surge of bravery coursed through Grissom and he took a risk.

He released her lips and moved towards her ear, whispering. "I. Love. You." Sara jerked away from him, making him think he made a mistake, but the look in her eyes dispelled all of his fears.

She began to speak but upon realising that no words could ever express what she felt, she settled for a kiss instead. Holding each other, neither could believe that he had said the words, but both were living a dream now that he had.

As though realising where they were, Grissom released his hold on Sara and led her over to their friends who were having a water fight of their own.

Both knew that those three little words had changed everything, but neither wanted to address it yet, they would deal with the future when it came.

Lunch time consisted of sitting out by the pool with iced tea and sandwiches, anything more would have been too much. The heat was bouncing off everything and the shade form the umbrella was a great relief to those seeking cool shelter beneath.

"We better get going Ally. We've got some sight seeing to do." Sean announced as he gathered up his shirt and his wife's towel. He looked up at the other couple and smiled. "You two up for exploring the outer walls of this hotel?"

Grissom turned his head to his wife and smirked. -What haven't we seen in this town?- He asked himself, silently laughing at the thought of sight seeing in the one place they knew inside out.

"We're fine." Sara smiled, beaming at Grissom. -I don't want to discover a dead body on my honeymoon or run into anyone we know- She mentally congratulated herself for quick thinking and stood.

Grissom looked up, startled. "Where you going?"

"Oh, no where, just thought we could have a nap." She reached down and grasped his hand as she looked up at the grinning couple. "We'll see you guys later."

Blushing profusely, Grissom let himself be led away from the sun.

Standing in the elevator, Grissom breathed in to fit into the cramped space. On the first floor they were alone, but by the third floor, a ton of people decided to cram in.

Sliding along the wall, he managed to reach Sara. They were separated when the second group of people boarded and his sudden need to be very close to her wasn't helping the situation.

Though nothing more than kissing and a few wondering hands transpired from the bathroom early this morning, it was still enough for him to miss her closeness.

Turning to face her, Grissom smirked. It was too cramped, but he could still indulge himself with looking at her and holding her hand, which he did a second later.

Glancing down at her hand in his, he tilted his head forward and to the side slightly. There were too many people in one place for his liking, so he couldn't really say anything. So he settled for looking up and gazing into her bright brown eyes.

No real thoughts. Nothing that could spoil the moment they shared.

Until the elevator bleeped and the whole thing was thrown into darkness.

"What the?" Several voices echoed.

"Jesus H Christ!" Was one male voice, quickly followed by a female. "Oliver!" Obviously the wife.

Sara and Grissom stood in the corner, not saying a word, listening to the cursing and chatter. Tugging on his hand, Sara brought him closer so she could lean against him. Taking full advantage of their newfound relationship into her hands for a while.

Grissom hugged her loosely, so the others in the crowed space wouldn't notice them. He gently brushed his cheek against hers, his beard tickling her sensitive skin.

"Would someone please find the damn emergency phone!" The man known as Oliver, frantically asked the group. His female friend telling him off in his ear.

"It's nothing major. Probably just a power serge." A younger male voice explained calmly.

"And how would you know that?!" Oliver snapped.

The younger male chuckled good naturedly. "I work here, sir."

"Oh."

"Well that shut him up." Came an older female voice, coated with age and wisdom, with a smile.

Grissom, meanwhile, was nuzzling Sara's cheek with his nose, breathing in deeply to savour her scent, smelling the perfume she had put on this morning. It was intoxicating him. He was trying to fathom which brand it was, but then remembered seeing the bottle on the side in the bathroom. Elizabeth Arden.

"Would you stop pushing me!" A female and a male, not previously heard, echoed aggregately into the space.

Grissom smiled against Sara's ear at hearing the confusing and arguments around them. It wasn't bothering them in the least, but was damn amusing from where they were huddled in the corner.

One of Sara's hands delved beneath Grissom's loose shirt, slowly sliding up the middle of his back. His heated skin, his closeness and his hot breath on her neck, warmed her heart immensely. Her head fell slowly to rest against his, their proximity overwhelming her senses.

Lightly pressing small kisses to her neck, Grissom's lips trailed up to her cheek and across her lips in his slow tantalizing journey to her other ear. Returning to nuzzling her skin and warming her flushed flesh, his large hands pulled her tightly against his chest. If it were any other place or time, he might never have done any of this, but a confession of things that had been held secret for so long, had released his fear of being caught, and the darkness helped to give him courage.

Before everything returned to normal, Sara sought out Grissom's mouth for a brief slow meeting of lips to satisfy her urge to touch him. They broke away just in time for the lights to flicker back to life and the elevator kick started to life and began it's journey upwards as if nothing had happened.

TBC